New York (CNN) – Hillary Clinton cast doubt Wednesday on whether Iran would ultimately agree to halt its nuclear program, the end goal of a longstanding U.S. effort that President Barack Obama has touted as a top foreign policy achievement.

Clinton told the American Jewish Congress in New York that she was “personally skeptical that the Iranians would follow through and deliver” on the interim deal Obama announced late last year, which mandated Iran reduce its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and allow inspectors into some of its facilities.

(CNN) – Rand Paul put a new spin on a familiar refrain that the Republican Party needs to broaden its base. He compared the GOP's need for change to a recent Domino's Pizza's campaign to improve the taste of its crust.

The Kentucky senator and potential 2016 presidential candidate told a packed crowd of students at the University of California at Berkeley on Wednesday that "the Republican Party needs to either evolve, adapt or die."

(CNN) - Robert Strauss, a prominent Democratic figure who led the party at a crucial time and advised presidents, died on Wednesday, his law firm said. He was 95.

Strauss took over as chairman of the Democratic National Committee during a tumultuous period following George McGovern's landslide loss to Richard Nixon in 1972, and saw it through Jimmy Carter's election in 1976.

New York (CNN) - With more than 960 days still to go before the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton already finds herself the subject of almost-constant speculation.

As she increases her visibility on policy issues, addressing gender inequality and early childhood education through her family's nonprofit group, The Clinton Foundation, and repeatedly weighing in on the conflict in Ukraine, the focus of her supporters and the media has been squarely on whether she will run for president.FULL POST

(CNN) –New Jersey's acting attorney general and the state police superintendent banned state police on Wednesday from taking photos of hecklers and protesters at Gov. Chris Christie's now-weekly town halls.

The announcement came after a man taking photos of demonstrators at Tuesday's town hall reportedly identified himself as a member of the state police.

CNN's GUT CHECK | for March 19, 2014 | 5 p.m. – n. a pause to assess the state, progress or condition of the political news cycle

RAND PAUL BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT: IN BERKELEY TO TALK PRIVACY …Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, rips the intel community in prepared remarks Wednesday at the liberal hotbed of UC Berkeley.

In his speech, Paul mentions the recent controversy surrounding claims that the CIA has been spying on computers used by the Senate Intelligence Committee. "I don't know about you, but I'm worried. If the CIA is spying on Congress, who exactly can or will stop them? I look into the eyes of senators and I think I see real fear," Paul says, according to a prepared text confirmed by CNN and first reported by Politico. – Ashley Killough

Washington (CNN) – President Barack Obama is getting some help from the country's tech giants in his effort to show Americans how climate change will affect their communities.

The private sector commitments from firms like Google and Microsoft come at the same time the White House announced Wednesday a new government initiative to make public data related to climate more accessible to the public, with the goal of spurring better preparation and prevention for eventual changes to Americans' environment.

(CNN) - Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made light-hearted comments Wednesday about the process of writing her upcoming book during a short speech at the Association of American Publishers annual meeting in New York.

The potential presidential contender said her book, which is set to release in June, will focus on her experiences at the State Department, as well as 21st century challenges that range from "Crimea to climate change."